" Deflcior prudens artis ab arte niea."
At the first contemplation of these strange anomalies we are inclined to say, " tota vita mentitur'' {Ej>. V, iv, 10) — his life was all a lie. But much that is con- tradictory, much that may invite the sternest reproba- tion, may be palliated by regarding the times, the dif- ficulties of the situation, and the artificial and discolored lights under which all is seen. Such discrepancies, how- ever, between the philosophy and the conduct cannot fail to stimulate curiosity and to require cautious esti- mation.
I. Life. — L. Annteus Seneca was the second son of M. Annajus Seneca, the rhetorician, and the author of the Controversial Exercises for the instruction of students of rhetoric. His elder brother, Gallio, proconsul of Achaia at the time of Paul's visit, had assumed the name of the distinguished advocate Junius Gallio, by wliom he had been adopted. His younger brother, L. AnnsBus Mela, was the father of Lucan, the poet of the Pharsa- lia. Marcus, the founder of the distinguished family, was a citizen from Corduba, in Spain, and of the eques- trian order. He was wealthy, reputable, accomplished, and noted for his wonderful memory. He took an em- inent position at Rome as a teacher of rhetoric, and lived to be an octogenarian. His illustrious son was born at Corduba, but was transferred to Rome in early life, and was educated there under his father and Pajjirius Fabi- anus. Attains, and Sotion. Fabianus he mentions fre- quently in his works with respect and affection. By Sotion he was initiated into the mysteries, vagaries, and asceticism of the Pythagoreans. Seneca was so earnest in his abstinences and in his renunciation of animal food that he became emaciated and endangered his health. By the urgent persuasions of his father he abandoned his fasts and vigils, and turned from the pursuit of se- vere philosophy to the business of life. He adopted a forensic career. The remains of Seneca attest his abil- ities, the breadth of his culture, the diversity of his ac- quirements, the vigor of his fancj', the variety of his reflections, the fluency and perspicuity of his style. He soon rose to eminence and lucrative employment. He became quaestor, at what time is unknown, but probably in the middle of the reign of Tiberius. Lender Caius his life was nearly cut short. Jealousy of his talents, envy of his distinction, apprehension of his sentiments, hatred of his opinions and associations, or more adequate provo- cations, excited that insane and furious emperor's hos- tility, and he was designated for execution. By adroit intervention he was spared, on the re|)resentation that he would soon sink under disease. Two years later Caligula was assassinated, but Seneca survived. The opening of the new reign was inauspicious to him. Claudius banished him to the sterile and inhospitable island of Corsica — " Horrida desertis undique vasta lo- cis." Messalina suspected his intimac}' with the em- peror's nieces, Agrippina and .Julia, and alleged an in- trigue with one or both. Seneca was safer and more innocent on the most inhospitable coast than in ttie company of any of these infamous sirens. He had al- ready addressed his tractate On Anger to his brother Novatus, who had not yet become Gallio. Little of his fortitude, and nothing of the tranquillity of the philos- opher, were displayed by Seneca in his exile. In the first period of his expatriation he achieved a Consola- tion to Ilelvia, his mother, to calm her natural grief at the violent and hazardous separation. It abounds la
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showy sentiments, in ex()uisito expressions, in whole- some hill exii);p'r(il('(l rellcetions. wliich tall upon ihe expeeljuil e.-ir hke (he soinul ol' linllnw hr.'iss. His etpmniinily is hehed liy iiis elVoil (o (hseovcr, lo iniihi- piv, fniil (i) .•iilinii reasons lor (Mpianiniiiy. 'riic impres- sion is irr<>sislilile tlial Ihe alVccIrd eoiilenlmenl of Ihe sa^e is only llie Iriunipli ol' ihe rlu'lorieian, anil iuleiid- C(l Id alli.'ii'l pulihe ,'i<liiiir.'ilioii and synipalhy. 'I'his imlavoraliU' i lh<i is dcipincd hy Ihe ('i>ii.ii)l<iliiiii to J'li/i/hiiiK, also eomposed in the Corsieaii seeliision, an<l wriilen lo the powerful Ireedinan orciaiidius lo eonil'orl him on Ihe loss of liis lirollicr. juid lo iiivoUe lor liim- seU'llie eommiscralion olllic lilicrlinc and the l.avor oC his master. The wise man, who, liUe Ovid, had he- moaned the miseries of hanisiimeni in ele^'inc verse, declared thai, under Claudius, "llie liCe of exiles was more lraii(|nil tlnm that of prinees under Cains." lie enlarfjed upon Ihe resplendeni ipialilies of llie slu])id, misled, lihmderini; pedant on the Ihroue, whose piiiiip- kiiiijii'ittliiii lie was lo eeleluvile jiflcr liis death in liillcr salire. The inlense servilily and a(hil;iiiou ol'llie Iwcii- ty-.sixlh eliapter of Ihis diseredilalile Consoldlioii have ofien aliraeled remark; hnl it has lii;;li lilerary merits.
Afler eiji'lii years not improli tidily spent, .Soneea was recalled from his exile. The new empress. Ajirippinn, mindful of old iiilimacy, or anxious for addilioii!il sup- jiorl. siiinmoiu'd liim from the slerile rocks of Corsica lo the luxury and license of the imperial p;dacc. lie was advanced lo Ihe pneiorship, juid appointed tutor lo her son, the youiiii'. Iiinulsome, promisini; Uomiliiis Nero. Hiul not. Alexander been the pii|iil of ArisiotleV What might not he anticipated from the disciple of .Seneca V It. was very shortly liefore the acceptance of this cliarijc lliiil he had wriileii the (\iiisol(i/i<i lul Mdrcittm on the death of her son. It was app.areuily followed hy the distpiisitiou (>ii rrtiiii/iii/lifi/. I'inealily of cmoliou char;iclcri/.es liolh works. Marcia was llic daui;htcr of Cremutins Cordiis, the repulilican liislorian of the last civil wars. Her son, for whom she was tardily con- soled, had heen dead three years. The jiraise of iiilel- Icclual calm came with a suspicious air from one who had heen fretlini; and moaniiii; in ohscnrily for ciulil years, ami was ready to welcome the hustle .and cxtrjiva- gance of llie court. There seems lo have heen no hesi- tation in .nccepliiifj the jiroposals of Airrippiua to hir- sake trannuillily. !Slie was sclieminu; to advance to the throne a son of whom his father had s.aid that noth- ing hut a monsier could spring from such ]>arents. The throne was securecl hy poisoning the old and uxorious emperor. Seneca liecaine prime-minister and chief ad- ministrator muter Agrippiua, with IJurrus as head of military ;iflairs. 'I'lic lir>t service of Ihe poliiii-;il or politic philosopher was lo compose for his piijiil a ful- some laudation of the murdered prince, whose memory ho lampooned himself. The Neronian lauds were so highly a)>precialeil that the senate directed lliem lo be ins<Tilieil on a pillar of silver, and to he read by the privlors when llicv enicred on I heir otlice. When Nero had been a year upon the throne, his younger colleague. ISriiannicus, the son iind Irue heir of Claudius, was re- moved out of his path — (lerhaps by iioison, though litis has been disputed in late years. .\t this opportune mo- ment, Seneca addresses to his imperial pupil ihe notable treatise (>ii Clt'iiii'iiiy. What was the demand for it, un- less cruel disiiosilions had been manilesled ? How coulil thev have been carried into etVeet unless by llie acijui- csoence of Seneca, who was now in llie lieighi of bis power? Tacitus alleges (.Inh. XHI. xi) ihal he pub- lished Nero's fretpient asseverations of his clemency "testitieando ipiam honesta pra-ciperet, vel jaclandi ingenii."